


Buck’s new job

by Paddy_2020



Series: The SEAL and the Medic. [6]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV), Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: Athena knows what’s going on though - eventually, FBI Agent Evan “Buck” Buckley, Hurt 118, U.S. Navy SEAL Evan "Buck" Buckley, angry 118, confused 118
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-21
Packaged: 2021-03-24 03:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30065664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paddy_2020/pseuds/Paddy_2020
Summary: When Buck leaves the 118, he very swiftly receives several emails containing job offers - one takes his fancy and he decides to go for it...
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley & Firehouse 118 Crew, Evan "Buck" Buckley & Jay Halstead
Series: The SEAL and the Medic. [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042890
Comments: 22
Kudos: 157





	1. We want you

Buck sighed as he walked out of the 118 bay doors for the final time - his meeting with Bobby had been anything other than productive, rapidly descending into a shouting match between the two men as to who was at fault for the lawsuit. Ten minutes later Buck had handed in a letter of resignation to the captain and cleared out his locker, he did his best to ignore the glares of his fellow firefighters as he left - but as soon as he reached his jeep he descended into fits of tears. To this day he will never know how he managed to get home without getting into a car accident.

As soon as he crossed the threshold into his apartment he grabbed a bottle of strong whiskey from his kitchen and poured himself an obscenely large glass, then another, then another... he drowned out his sorrow in alcohol for the night, and woke up that morning feeling even more crappy than before, yet also proud. Yes, Buck was proud that he finally stood up to Bobby Nash and proud that he was going to strike out into the world once more.

With this in mind, he lifted his phone to see if any of his old crew had even tried to make contact - unsurprisingly they had not. However, his email inbox did have 11 new messages in it - no, on further inspection it had 11 job offers in it. Having seen this, he fixed himself a strong coffee to chase of the potential hangover from the night before’s binge drinking and began to read.

_Crown security solutions - no_

_US NAVY - Hell no, he’d only just escaped there with his life the first time round_

_USMS - maybe?_

_LAPD Metro Division - Again, hell no - he didn’t want to be anywhere near the 118_

_San Francisco Fire Department - nah, he was done with firefighting_

_CIA - No... WAIT, WHAT! C.I.A! - what the hell would they want with him?_

_Owen Strand (AFD) - nah, firefighting’s out - no matter how good a captain he knows Owen is_

_Steve McGarret (HPD 5-0) - another maybe, but Hawaii was awfully far away... wasn’t it?_

_Principal Protection Service LA - no_

_NYPD SWAT - nah, not feeling it_

_FBI Counternarcotics group - Buck stalled over this last one, he still doesn’t know why, but he read the email and saw the good work the group did and saw that it could very easily provide the adrenaline rush he craved whilst still helping people. Ultimately, he replied with his CV and and crossed his fingers - hoping to be accepted..._

**20 weeks later:** ****

“Welcome to counter narcotics division Special Agent” Buck’s new boss, SIC Hilton concluded - showing him the office he would operate out of

”Thank you ma’am”

”Now, let’s get you your first brief. I’m afraid that because you’re new you’re gonna be on undercover duty”

”I think I can live with that. Where will I be going?”

”You’ll be still working out of LA, but it’s a joint op with LAPD VICE and CPD Intelligence - big drug gang running their product right into the heart of the city. Think you can handle it?”

”Can certainly try - I haven’t failed a mission yet”

”You haven’t done a mission yet” she reminded, raising an eyebrow

”Exactly - haven’t failed yet. All about perspective ma’am”

”If you didn’t have such an impressive background I would be annoyed with you”

”You love me really. Anyway, when do I leave?”

”You’ll meet up with a detective Jay Halstead from CPD who’ll be your partner for the investigation - VICE want to keep their distance apparently”

”Good of them”

**the next day:**

“Hi, special agent Evan Buckley - I have a meeting with lieutenant winters from VICE and detective Halstead from the CPD” Buck said as he walked into the police station he had been told to report to

”Just this way sir - says here you’re new, how did you end up with this job?”

”Retired SEAL - might be new to the bureau, but I’m not wet behind the ears in how to do a covert op” Buck replied, walking into the conference room where one other man was waiting.

”Jay Halstead, you must be Evan?”

”Yeah, nice to meet you Jay”

After this, the two were briefed on their operation and sent off to their hotel to get ready to make contact with the group the next day.

”So, come on - what did you do before coming to the bureau Evan?” Jay asked suddenly, as he unpacked his bag

“I was a Navy SEAL and then a firefighter for a while - I left the LAFD twenty weeks ago and immediately got an offer from the bureau for some reason. How about you?”

”Career police officer - what station were you with? I’m friends with a few firefighters in Chicago”

”The 118”

”One minute - are you the guy who got blown up?”

”Sure am”

”My brother followed that all really closely - he couldn’t believe you were still alive”

”Yeah, well I am somehow. Although I don’t think my life would’ve been the same had it not happened - I left the 118 under a bit of a cloud”

Jay raised an eyebrow but chose not to go any further “anyway, this is your city - where’s a good spot to eat in?”

”You like Mexican?”...


	2. Making contact

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Buck and Jay make contact with the gang leaders and somehow a fire starts cause they’re lucky like that, what happens when the 118 recognise Buck?...

“You know your cover story Halstead?” Buck asked as they prepared to get out of their car and go into the warehouse where they would be meeting their contact.

”David Preston. Born in DC to two marijuana legalisation lobbyists and decided that I would take things into my own hands to do what I think is right, eventually I got greedy and ended up smuggling the harder stuff in. How about you?”

”Evan Buckley - lifelong public servant who’s been screwed over by the system too many times and now just wants money and the swanky lifestyle he feels he deserved and fuck whoever has to get hurt in the process”

”I feel like after everything that happened to you I honestly wouldn’t blame you if that was true” Jay commented dryly, causing Buck to chuckle to himself

”Ehh, I’m a glutton for punishment apparently”

The duo walked through the warehouse doors, strutting confidently despite the trepidation they felt “You Cory Phipps?”

”Sure am - Buckley and Preston? Yeah?”

”Yep”

”The boss is this way” The man, who was built like a brick house, declared. Ushering them into a side room where there was easily enough money stored in illegal assets to buy both their homes ten times over. “Gentlemen - this is Jeremy Alonso”

”Nice to meet you Jeremy” both men said politely, before sitting down and beginning to talk business. An hour passed, with Jay and Buck discussing their fabricated histories in the illegal trade and pledging their allegiance to the new gang before it happened. There was a loud shout from the factory floor and a ball of fire erupted from where several people were working.

”What the fuck!” Jay exclaimed - shocked at how suddenly the fire ball had erupted

”Looks like some sort of gasoline fire - that’s not going to go out easily and this place doesn’t have sprinklers. We need to leave, now!”

”No! We need to hide the goods first” Alonso declared, a manic look taking over his eyes and he lifted four firearms and enough drugs to knock out an elephant “What’re you two waiting for - pick some of this stuff up!”

  
The 118 had just pulled up on scene when Bobby saw the three men stumbling out of the building - they seemed to be carrying large rucksacks and sports bags, which immediately set of the alarm bells in his head. As a former addict he knew all the ways dealers transported their goods and this had to be the most common. “Dispatch, this is captain 118 - I think I may have a drug deal in progress at my location. Requesting LAPD backup”

”Cap, is one of those men... Buck?” Chim suddenly questioned, uncertainly

”No, he wouldn’t do this... would he?” Hen said, trying to get a closer look

”Don’t care if it’s the pope doing it - all three of them should be put up against a fucking wall” Eddie sneered, “Ruining lives just for their own gain”

”Diaz, calm down - we have to save everyone, criminal or otherwise - we are firefighters, not God” Bobby reprimanded as his crew got out of the truck. They were just suiting up as Athena’s cruiser pulled up, Eddie making sure to point her in the direction of the two remaining men - one of whom he was almost certain was Buck at this point.

Athena immediately ran over to them and recoiled in shock at seeing Buck holding what was almost certainly a bag full of drugs. “Buckaroo, what have you got yourself into”

”I don’t need your pity Athena”

”Well you’ve got it anyway. This is not okay, you know I have to arrest you, both of you. But I’ll do you a favour, no cuffs - if you promise to go without a fight”

”No Thena - cuffs and make a scene. We’ll explain in the car, we’re both going to run away now and ditch these bags somewhere, you are going to give chase and eventually catch us - do you trust that I’m not duping you?”

”What?”

”GO!” Buck shouted to Jay, as he and his partner legged it away from the other police officer - forcing her to give chase. They led her through alleyway after alleyway for fifteen minutes until they had a chance to throw both bags into a trash can, before continuing the chase for a further five minutes. Eventually the sergeant caught them though, snapping cuffs around both their wrists - a look of disgust on her face.

”What are your names Gentlemen”

”Evan Buckley”

”David Preston”

”You’re both coming with me” she snarled, hauling them back to her car in full sight of the 118. Buck first became worried though, when her demeanour didn’t change once he and Jay were sitting in the back of her car.

”Athena..”

“DON’T SPEAK TO ME BOY”

”Athena, we’re undercover police officers - or Jay is, I’m with the bureau. We’re working this case on behalf of FBI, CPD intelligence and LAPD VICE”

”You think I’m gonna believe that?”

”Oh I really don’t care if you do or not Athena - I just wanted you to know. When you bring us into that station we’ll be shown to a nice office where we’ll drink coffee and watch crap daytime TV for a few hours to make it look like we’re being questioned and then we’ll leave - when you find out that I’m telling the truth, you’re more than welcome to join us”

“Why are you actually involved in all this Buck” Athena sighed

”Like I said, it’s an undercover op - I can’t really tell you anything more than that”

”What I mean is why did you leave the 118?”

”Ask Bobby” Buck snarked, as the police car pulled into the station. He spent the remainder of his processing in silence - Athena did not choose to join him and Jay in the office were they had to wait.


	3. Athena confronts Bobby

“Sergeant, I can’t impress this upon you enough - Detective Halstead and Special Agent Buckley’s mission is deep cover. They have no backup - if you tell anyone about them and it gets back to the organised crime group they will be tortured and they will die two very painful deaths” Athena’s captain concluded, fixing the sergeant with a stony look

”So I just have to tell my husband and his crew that Buck has joined a drug smuggling gang?”

”Unless you want to be attending his funeral, then yes - you tell them that he had a good lawyer and that he got out this time, but that one of these times we’ll catch him. Just don’t out his operation”

”Ok Cap” Athena replied, a deep sense of unease falling over her - the words ‘they will die’ running through her head on loop

**Later that night:**

Athena and Bobby were sitting at home when she first brought it up, tentatively probing about the circumstances leading to Buck’s resignation - she had never actually got a straight answer from her husband and was beginning to grow suspicious about what had actually been going on.

”He aired our dirty laundry to everyone and then threw a tantrum when we didn’t trust him anymore!” Bobby snapped his mind floating back to the worst argument Buck had had with a member of the 118

***

_“Guys, Buck’s going to be back on calls with us today - Anderson’s arm’s still playing up so he’s man behind” Bobby declared at the morning briefing, he immediately noticed Buck lighting up at the prospect of getting back on the truck and felt he had to clarify - for the man’s benefit of course “this is a temporary measure Buckley - I still don’t trust you as far as I could throw you” and boy did that comment open the floodgates with Eddie_

_”Cap, I’m not working with him” the man declared, glowering at his former best friend “I refuse to work with him - cause he’s a selfish prick and I don’t trust that he wouldn’t sacrifice me to save himself”_

_”Eds- when have I ever done something like that” Buck protested, however it fell on deaf ears_

_”IN THE FUCKING LAWSUIT!”_

_”THAT WAS PUBLIC INFORMATION - I DIDN’T EVEN TELL MY LAWYER! HE GOT IT FROM A BACKGROUND CHECK!”_

_“You know what, I’m glad you’re going to be on calls today - maybe you can see that you don’t belong here anymore!” Eddie snarled, causing tears to prick the younger man’s eyes_

_”All I ever wanted was to get back to my family” Buck sobbed, I didn’t want to be sidelined from the job I loved and the people I loved”_

_”You are nothing to me, in fact no, you’re worse than nothing. You’d be doing us all a favour if you just walked into a fire and didn’t come back out!” Eddie roared, staring daggers into the younger man, who just balled up his fists and smacked the table before turning around and going to sit at the sofas in the lounge area_

_”Buckley, go take a walk. Calm down and then take an inventory for both trucks and the ambulance” Bobby barked, a small part of him delighted by the way Buck’s face fell in heartbreak at being blamed for what Eddie had said_

**_5 hours later:_ **

_“Buckley, Diaz - be quick in there. The building’s going to collapse soon and I don’t want you guys stuck inside” Bobby radioed, just as the roof of the house groaned and cracked ominously. Mere seconds later it caved..._

_”EDDIE!” Buck screamed as he heard it, throwing himself on top of his friend to protect him from the falling beams and not caring as he felt white hot agony rip through his body when a heavy wooden support beam dropped onto his injured leg._

_”Get the fuck off me!” Eddie roared, shoving buck off his back roughly - not caring as he stood on the man’s hand when he got up. To this day Buck believes it was an accident - but Eddie knows the truth...._

_”Eds- get help” Buck groaned - seeing stars every time he tried to move_

_”But you’re fit for duty - the lawsuit proved that Buck” Eddie chuckled, walking off - he would call the cap to have someone peel buck off the floor, just he’d let him suffer a bit first. When they got back to the station Bobby called Buck into his office to tell him that his recklessness had ensured he would never serve on the truck again - three weeks later Bobby walked into his office to find Buck standing with his resignation_

_***_

“Bobby, I love you - but I want to know what actually happened” Athena demanded

”I think the breaking straw was when Eddie suggested Buck should commit suicide” Bobby mumbled, feeling himself shrink in the presence of Athena’s ever growing anger

”HE WHAT!”

“He said that it would be a favour to us all if Buck went into a house fire and never came out - I witnessed it and instead of writing him up immediately I told Buck to take a walk and cool off. Then later that day Buck shielded Eddie from a collapsing roof with his body and Eddie left him lying in agony for ten minutes before calling help. I should’ve fired Eddie on the spot, but instead I told Buck he had been reckless and that I would never let him on the truck again. His resignation arrived that same month”

”Get out”

”What?”

”Get out of my house” Athena snarled, looking at her weak excuse for a husband with a furious glare

”Athena”

”If you don’t want to be served with divorce papers I suggest you get out now. You told me once that you saw him like a son - you say the same about Harry. I can’t trust you anymore and I don’t know how long it’ll be until I can again. Or if I ever will again”

”Look I know we drove him to a drug gang and for that I’m sorry - but personalities don’t just...”

”Buck’s a member of the FBI counter narcotics division - he’s on deep cover with the gang alongside his partner who’s a CPD detective. He’s as good a man as ever and I won’t let you tarnish his reputation in front of me ever again because that boy has a heart of pure gold and insists on doing good no matter how many times people he trusts and loves hurt him.” Athena explained coldly, before standing up and going to her car “I’m going for a drive. I’ll be back in half an hour and you’d better not be here - otherwise I won’t be responsible for my actions”

Bobby just stared at her open mouthed, Buck - an FBI special agent, impossible. But then again, how much did the 118 actually know about their most talkative member?

“And what I just told you doesn’t go any further because if it gets back to the gang he will be tortured for information, and then fun probably, before being killed” Bobby just continued to stare, gormless and slack mouthed until he heard the front door slam behind the retreating back of his wife.

**Next day:**

“So let me get this straight - we all thought he was a member of this gang, but he’s actually an FBI agent?” Eddie questioned as he and Lena Bosko ripped the door off a car that had been in a major collision

“I still do not believe Evan Buckley has the brains to join the FBI” Lena laughed “are you sure this isn’t just some sort of sick joke?”

”Nah, it’s pretty serious - Athena has Cap living in a hotel now that she knows what happened. The D word’s come up as well as far as I’m aware”

”Oh shit” Lena replied, before she finally got the door off with one final pull. Eddie swiftly reached round her to check the driver

”What’s your name sir?”

”Cory, uhmmm Cory Phipps”....


	4. Oh shit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Word about Buck and Jay’s operation gets back to Alonso. It doesn’t end well

“You worthless, double crossing pieces of SHIT!” Jeremy Alonso screamed, consumed with rage at being double crossed. He then planted a brutal kick into both men’s sides smirking in satisfaction as he felt one of Jay’s ribs crack under the assault.

”The only worthless piece of shit here is you Alonso - and even if you kill us, the authorities will get you - and you will pay the price for your deeds” Buck spat, ignoring the pain riddling his body.

”What are your actual names gentlemen - I just want to know cause I keep a journal of everyone I kill. I’m thorough like that - I just need to keep your names accurate, and then decide what I want to do with you two vermin”

”Sir, we need to go - this apartment will be under surveillance, even if everywhere else they go isn’t” Phipps piped up, preparing to drag Buck to his feet. He had got into the boss’s bad books after the fire, but he was hoping that if this new information was effective he would be welcomed back into the inner circle with open arms. He honestly could’ve kissed those two dopey firefighters.

”Take the FBI one. Kill the detective - he’s only small fry. It’ll show them we mean business” Alonso ordered, handing his gun over. Moments later a gunshot rang out through the room and Jay dropped to the floor - the bullet ripping through his midsection, yet somehow avoiding anything vital - he swiftly felt a pool of blood forming underneath him and began to feel light headed. Then everything went dark...

***

”sir, sir. Are you with me? I’m a paramedic with the LAFD - squeeze my hand if you can hear me” Hen asked tenderly, as she worked on her patient.

”Evan” Jay groaned in agony as he came to “they took Evan”

”Sir, who are you?”

”Detective... Jay... Halstead” he panted “CPD. They took... my partner - Evan Buckley... he’s F... BI” before passing out once more

”Shit, sir. Come on, come back to me” Hen begged at the admission before the dreaded sound of a flatlining HR monitor rang through the air

*Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep* 

”Starting compressions. Diaz, prepare the defibrillator” Chim called as he crowded past Hen who was checking Jay’s airways and preparing to administer oxygen. The penny having not quite dropped with him that the man, Jay, was in fact talking about his ex colleague and brother in law.

”200, Charging” Eddie declared, placing the pads to Jay’s chest “clear” *thump*

”Nothing” Hen declared, before adding “go again - three hundred, he can take it”

”300, Charging” Eddie repeated, preparing to go once more “clear” *thump*

*beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*

”Normal sinus rhythm - he’s back with us”

”What the hell is going on here!?” A voice boomed from the doorway, the entire crew turning around to see a SWAT crew and Athena with faces showing expressions of fury, shock and sadness

”Detective Jay Halstead, CPD - he’s suffering a single through and through gunshot wound and has flatlined once since arrival. He also came round a few minutes ago and identified himself before saying his partner, an FBI agent called... oh God - I was too caught up with the adrenaline before to realise it. The gang, they’ve kidnapped Buck” Chim gasped in shock

“Dispatch, this is field sergeant Grant - I have a status zero in the moss Heath apartment complex. One CPD officer down on arrival and one federal agent missing in action. SWAT are on scene currently. I’m requesting an officer in distress announcement be sent to all units within city limits - victim is a white, thirty year old, male, who is six feet and one inch tall, with blond hair, blue eyes and a distinctive birthmark above the left eye. He has a tribal style tattoo on each bicep, a script style tattoo on his left forearm and has the Navy SEAL trident tattooed to his left pectoral. Victim is a serving FBI special agent with the counter Narcotics division who was on deep cover at the time of abduction, he is a retired Navy SEAL operator and therefore in my opinion does stand a significant chance of being found alive provided we move quickly. Over”

”Field sergeant Grant, this is Dispatch - an alert is being sent to all officers and all assets are being employed in the search. Over”

Athena then turned to the crew of the 118 “why are absolutely none of you surprised by what I just said?”

”Uhhm, Bobby told us all yesterday? He said you told him?” Lena replied sharply - and boy did Athena dislike her at his moment

“Bobby, I told you that in the strictest of confidences! Why would you repeat it?! I told you what could happen to them if the gang found out”

”Uhhm, what could happen?” Eddie questioned uneasily

“It is very likely Special Agent Buckley will be tortured for information and then as a ‘punishment’ before being brutally and painfully murdered. This gang has a history of being inventive with their murder techniques - the last three guys we know of were hanged with piano wire, dumped into the ocean with their feet tied to concrete blocks and roasted alive respectively. None of them were undercover police officers - needless to say that whatever happens to Evan will be about ten times more sadistic in nature” An unknown voice declared angrily. ”Special Agent In Charge Kate Hilton, this is my guy and my investigation now. Am I clear?” The mystery woman stepped forwards - and you could instantly tell she was someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. “We will find him, one way or another, just so long as none of the rest of you fuckwits tell anyone about who he is and what he does”

”Hey!” Athena declared, glaring at the other woman

”I’d be quiet sergeant if I were you - unless you want to be arrested for disclosing privileged information”

**3 hours later:**

“Every available unit is conducting a search of all abandoned warehouses - the coast guard and port authorities have been notified in case they attempt another drowning and Detective Halstead has just woken up ma’am. Sergeant Voight is due to arrive in LAX in one hour with the rest of his team, he’s bringing all the information he has and will then be joining the hunt” A more junior agent rhymed off as Hilton looked anxiously into Jay’s hospital room “he says he wants to help - he’s willing to answer any questions you have. Right here, right now”

”Good, I’ll see him now then” The agent declared, walking softly into the room “thank you for doing this detective - I’d say it’s been one hell of a trauma.”

”I want to help, he’d do the same for me”

”Okay, can you start from the beginning?”...


	5. The hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hilton questions Jay about what happened and the search teams make an alarming discovery

“Start from the beginning”

***

**that morning:**

“Ugh, what time is it Jay?” Buck moaned as he woke ups rubbing the sleep from his eyes

”Half eight - I let you rest a bit, I know this work can be exhausting the first few times you do it” Came the cheery reply from the kitchenette in their shared apartment

”Thanks” Buck moaned, hoisting himself out of his bed and into the bathroom to get washed up. Moments later he was startled into full awareness by the unmistakeable sound of splintering wood - his and Jay’s front door had been broken down.

Bad things about this situation:

\- Both their guns were in the safe hidden in the wardrobe, alongside their documentation should they get picked up by the police

\- Jay was on his own in the main area of the apartment and would therefore stand very little chance of winning against the unknown assailant(s)

\- Help wouldn’t arrive unless they failed to check in on the radio and they we’re due to check in for another hour and a half

\- The radio was also stowed in the safe with their guns

\- Buck wasn’t even carrying his butterfly knife, as it was stowed in the heel of his boots - also in the damn wardrobe

\- They’d been fools and were now going to pay the price

Good things about this situation:

\- Well, he always had been scared of dying alone - so at least he was going to have company in his final moments...

Buck looked frantically around the tiny bathroom for anything he could use as a weapon, eventually resolving to grab the mirror off the wall and smash it on the floor in the hope a shard of glass large enough to be used as a makeshift blade would be produced. Of course luck was not on his side and the mirror was made of safety glass - leaving him with millions of tiny, useless pieces laying at his feet and a furious assailant hammering on the other end of the door. His time had come.

”I know you’re in there” the unmistakeable voice of Jeremy Alonso sing-songed from outside the door “come out come out wherever you are” he taunted, jangling the door handle as Buck took one final desperate look around the room. There was nothing he could use - only a window and he sure as hell wasn’t going to abandon Jay. Moments later Buck tore the door open and sent a brutal kick to the man in front of him’s groin. Seizing the advantage, he pounced and began punching like his life depended on it - because it did. He refused to stop until he heard a gun cocking, followed by a terrified whimper.

”You hurt him one more time and I pull the trigger on your friend Evan” Cory declared, dragging Jay by his hair into the main area of the flat - his gun unmistakably pressed to the back of the detective’s head, leaving Buck no choice but to stand and raise his hands

”Good boy” Alonso mocked once more, wincing as he also clambered to his feet “now the fun can begin” he added, pulling a small blade from his pocket and reaching out to jab it into Buck’s thigh - the younger man’s lightning reflexes only saving him in the nick of time so he got slashed rather than stabbed

”Stop” Jay mumbled weakly “Why are you doing this”

”We’re doing this Detective Halstead, because you are both perfect examples of the people that annoy me most in this world - liars and coppers” Alonso sneered “you see, Cory here was in a car accident yesterday - and he heard two firefighters talking about their friend who was in the FBI. Evan Buckley, they were talking about how he was too dumb to get in - however I think you’re just too dumb to live long enough to get out”

”Fuck” Buck swore, knowing that Athena must’ve split on them and told the 118 everything

”Yes, it does sound rather inconvenient - but don’t worry, I’m a reasonable guy. I’ll kill them too - let you get revenge from beyond the grave” Alonso chuckled “Firefighters Diaz and Bosko I think their names were - I’ll put a bullet into each of their brains for you. Tell them Buck sent me. How’s that sound?” He added, laughing evilly at the horrified expression on Buck’s face.

”No, please - Eddie is a widowed single father. Don’t hurt him, please - if you kill him then his son won’t have either of his parents” Buck begged “please, do anything you want to me - but don’t hurt him”

”No, you see Evan that just isn’t a good deal for me. I’m going to do whatever I want to you regardless of whether I kill those two idiots - but since your feelings are so strong on the matter I could always put the kid out of his misery too?”

”No, not Christopher, please - don’t hurt Christopher. If you hurt him, if you hurt him I’ll kill you - somehow I will kill you”

“Relax, I’m not going to kill a kid - professionals have standards. I just want you to know though that if I wanted to change that policy I would be more than capable of tracking them both down and pulling the trigger” He sneered, spitting squarely onto Buck’s face. “Now, where were we, I feel like I went off on a bit of a tangent there - wouldn’t want you getting bored. I know sitting here listening to me ramble on would be literal... torture” He laughed “But then again, what I’m about to do to you two also comes under that umbrella”. Alonso signalled to Phipps, who pistol whipped Jay - making him fall to the floor, before he turned his attention to Buck. He wrestled the man’s hands behind his back and held on tightly as Phipps threw brutal punches to his face and upper body, before swiping his feet out from underneath him and beginning to take turns kicking. Alonso knew what he was doing - kicking hard enough to leave incapacitating pain, but not so brutally that Buck would lose consciousness at any stage during the hour long assault. By the time it was over, his body was screaming, begging his mind for the relief that unconsciousness would bring - yet it would not come. Eventually, after taking the combined efforts of the two men for 1 hour and 5 minutes, Buck finally blacked out from a kick to his head. They then moved on to Jay - who was swiftly returning to consciousness.

”You see your partner Halstead? Well, he didn’t tell us anything - not that we’re asking specific questions at this stage, torture’s always more fun when there’s a purpose after all - and I left my tools at home, so we’re saving him for later. You on the other hand? Do you want to end up a pathetic wreck like him? Or do you want to start talking?”

”I won’t tell you anything you bastard” Jay croaked out

”Wrong answer” Phipps declared, planting a firm kick to the officer’s chest “Now you can have the choice of dying like the dog that you are - or dying swiftly. It’s entirely in your hands” he added with a chuckle

”I’ve always loved dogs. What’s your favourite breed?” Jay taunted back

”Ohh detective - you’re not going to be able to take a beating like your partner. Don’t try to goad me into proving that point” Alonso chuckled “it’s been a while since I last beat someone to death”...

”You kill us, and the police, the feds and anyone else involved will not rest until you are behind bars - and trust me, cop killers don’t do well in prison. The guards tend to feel they have a score to settle”

”I’m not going to get caught - I’m too smart for that. I did after all rat you two out mere days after you made contact, didn’t I?”

”What’s to say we don’t have enough to send you to the death chamber already? Killing one of us will just be the icing on the cake, or rather the icing on the lethal injection - I’ve heard that it hurts quite badly for a few seconds before you finally snuff it, bet you’re too much of a wimp to subject yourself to that - or am I wrong?”

”YOU WORTHLESS PIECES OF SHIT!” Phipps declared angrily - his fear manifesting itself in rage as always

“Yes, you worthless, double crossing pieces of SHIT!” Jeremy Alonso screamed, consumed with rage at being double crossed. He then planted a brutal kick into both men’s sides smirking in satisfaction as he felt one of Jay’s ribs crack under the assault.

”The only worthless piece of shit here is you Alonso - and even if you kill us, the authorities will get you - and you will pay the price for your deeds” Buck spat, ignoring the pain riddling his body.

”What are your actual names gentlemen - I just want to know cause I keep a journal of everyone I kill. I’m thorough like that - I just need to keep your names accurate, and then decide what I want to do with you two vermin”

”Sir, we need to go - this apartment will be under surveillance, even if everywhere else they go isn’t” Phipps piped up, preparing to drag Buck to his feet. He had got into the boss’s bad books after the fire, but he was hoping that if this new information was effective he would be welcomed back into the inner circle with open arms. He honestly could’ve kissed those two dopey firefighters.

”Take the FBI one. Kill the detective - he’s only small fry. It’ll show them we mean business” Alonso ordered, handing his gun over. Moments later a gunshot rang out through the room and Jay dropped to the floor - the bullet ripping through his midsection, yet somehow avoiding anything vital - he swiftly felt a pool of blood forming underneath him and began to feel light headed. Then everything went dark...

***

By the time Jay was done retelling his story, both he and the normally stoic SIC Hilton were in tears

”He was so brave ma’am - he took everything they threw at him for over an hour and he didn’t give up one thing. When they broke in, he was in the bathroom - he could’ve got out, but he chose to stay. We need to find him”

”And we will detective - but even if we don’t, Phipps and Alonso will spend the rest of their days rotting in prison” Hilton declared as she dried her eyes “in all my years with the drugs squad I’ve never lost an agent - I intend on keeping that squeaky clean record. Understand?” She said kindly, patting Jay’s shoulder

”Yes ma’am - if you have any other questions you know exactly where to find me. Now you just have to find him”

”And we will Jay - I promise you, I will have this fucking country turned upside down if I have to - we will find him” Hilton finished, before leaving the room. She was immediately accosted by Eddie Diaz and Bobby Nash - both absolutely terrified that their last words to Buck would’ve been in anger.

”Who told them!” Bobby demanded, crowding in front of the special agent

”Yeah - I’ll fucking kill them” Eddie agreed

”Ohh the irony firefighter Diaz. You told them, by accident of course - that much is clear. But you and firefighter Bosko were talking about Evan not being smart enough to join the FBI whilst in reality you were both being dumbasses and discussing a high level undercover operation directly in front of the lieutenant of the gang we were infiltrating.”

”Diaz, you’re done here. Leave your uniform and department issued belongings at the station” Bobby declared

”Not so fast captain, this is fundamentally your fault - you were told privileged information and you disseminated it carelessly despite prior warning not to. I dare say you didn’t even impress the gravity of the situation on those you told - am I correct?” Hilton declared sharply - both men were in the wrong, but at least Diaz was grown up enough to look ashamed of himself

”Yes ma’am”

”Then don’t go firing people to make your stupid ass feel better - this is as much your fault as it is his, if not more” she snarled, before marching to her eating team of agents to coordinate the search.

”Well, now I feel like shit” Bobby stated bluntly once she was out of earshot, before folding in on himself in his hospital chair

**Seven hours later:**

“Right, so as you know this is hour ten of the manhunt and so far we have nothing that points to where SA Buckley has been taken” Hilton began “That is why we’re going to go about this in a new way - this gang have gone quite far enough, and I am certain that we will never manage to penetrate them with an undercover officer again. That is why, tonight we will round every known member up for questioning, we burn every source we have and we find those responsible, before forcing them to lead us to Evan. Tonight, one of our own could be drawing his final breaths - it’s our duty to find him before that happens. Does everyone understand?”

”Yes ma’am” the room of senior officers chorused - since the hospital, the manhunt had exploded in size - with neighbouring sheriff’s departments, the national guard, the LAPD, LAFD, CPD, NCIS, coast guard, additional FBI units and the marshals service all joining the search - by now, over seven hundred additional law enforcement officers had descended on the area. All with the aim of finding Evan Buckley...

**hour 15 of the search:**

“Ma’am, SIC Hilton, they’ve got something down at an old docker’s warehouse” an LAPD patrol officer panted, as he came careering into the operations centre

”What? Have they found him?”

”No, it’s pretty gruesome ma’am - they’ve found... they’ve found a par of bloodied bolt cutters. I don’t need to tell you what that could mean”

”Any body parts to accompany them?”

”No, however the blood is fresh and it is being harvested for testing - I don’t know whether to hope it is a match or it isn’t though”

”Get the dogs on it, see if they can get a scent - we don’t wait for forensics, we follow every lead. We have the manpower and we’re going to use it”

”ma’am”

**Meanwhile:**

“I think that was pretty clever Evan, don’t you - those bolt cutters will hold them up for hours and I can do an awful lot with a few hours. Blood and gore’s never been my thing anyway, so messy - it destroys everywhere. I’d much rather use methods like this, you know?” Alonso asked, as he looked up to see Buck clinging to two handles set into the roof of the three story tall warehouse. He had been dragged up there on a scaffold that had then been removed once he had a firm grasp, forcing his to support his entire body weight with just his arms “you know it was my father who came up with this method, and I must admit it works a treat - the record length of time someone’s held on here is twenty minutes - the pain in his arms was so bad by that point that his brain just stopped functioning - he was talking absolute gibberish by the time he fell. It was honestly hilarious. I wonder if a big guy like you could hold on that long - what do you think?”

”I think you should just fuck off cause I’ll let go and ensure I break my neck from the fall before I tell you anything”

”I’m not asking for much, just the identities of all your confidential informants - then I’ll let you die in peace, maybe even let you walk - if you’re an extra good boy and name all the undercover officers active in your division”

”You’re asking for more than I will ever give you” Buck screamed, as the lactic acid buildup in his muscles shifted from agonising to unbearable

”Shame, I’ll be back in two minutes and then we can try talking again. Bye Buck” Alonso said cheerily, as the younger man writhed in his somewhat self inflicted agony, slowly he felt his grip loosen and a plan began to form in his mind...


End file.
